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Werewolves
Even a man who is pure in heart :and says his prayers by night :may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms :and the autumn moon is bright. A werewolf (Or Lycanthrope) is a person who shapeshifts into a wolf, either purposely, by using magic, or after being placed under a curse. The medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury associated the transformation with the appearance of the full moon, but this concept was rarely associated with the werewolf until the idea was picked up by modern fiction writers. Most modern references agree that a werewolf can be killed if shot by a silver bullet, although this is more a reflection of fiction's influence than an authentic feature of the folk legends. Werewolves are sometimes held to become vampires after death. History Many of the werewolves in European tradition were most innocent and God-fearing persons, who suffered through the witchcraft of others, or simply from an unhappy fate, and who as wolves behaved in a truly touching fashion, fawning upon a nd protecting their benefactors. In Marie de France's poem Bisclaveret (c. 1200), the nobleman Bisclavret, for reasons not described in the lai, had to transform into a wolf every week. When his treacherous wife stole his clothing, needed to restore his human form, he escaped the king's wolf hunt by imploring the king for mercy, and accompanied the king thereafter. His behavior at court was so gentle and harmless than when his wife's new husband appeared at court and the king met Bisclavret's ex-wife near their home, his attacks on them were taken as revenge, and the truth was revealed. Others of this sort were Alphouns, the hero of William and the Werewolf (a.k.a. The Romance of William of Palerne, translated from French - Guillaume de Palerne - into English about 1350), and the numerous princes and princesses, knights and ladies, who appear temporarily in beast form in the German fairy tales, or Märchen. See Snow White and Rose Red, where the tame bear is really a bewitched prince, and The Golden Bird where the talking fox is also a man. Indeed, the power of transforming others into wild beasts was attributed not only to malignant sorcerers, but also to Christian saints. Omnes angeli, boni et mali, ex virtute naturali habent potestatem transmutandi corpora nostra (All angels, good and bad have the power of transmutating our bodies) was the dictum of St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Patrick transformed Vereticus, a king in Wales, into a wolf; and St. Natalis cursed an illustrious Irish family with the result that each member of it was doomed to be a wolf for seven years. In other tales the divine agency is still more direct, while in Russia, again, men are supposed to become werewolves through incurring the wrath of the devil. Some werewolf lore is based on documented events. The Beast of Gévaudan was a creature that reportedly terrorized the general area of the French former provinc] of Gévaudan, in today's Lozère département, in the Margeride Mountains in south-central France, in the general timeframe of 1764 to 1767. It was often described as a giant wolf and was said to attack livestock and humans indiscriminately. Psychological Characteristics Werewolves are known to be aggressive even in human form. Tyler Lockwood often had trouble controlling his temper. Those with the werewolf curse still latent can exhibit some supernatural traits which can be triggered by aggression, along with unusual physical strength for the person's given size but they cannot fully transform. Also werewolves have an higher body temperature then humans. Tyler says this when he just activated his curse. he says that he feels as if his skin is on fire. With the curse activated their eyes turn yellow while enraged. Activating the curse is also painful. When there is a full moon after sunset they will transform into canine form, looking very much like a timber-wolf, although larger. They can also be distinguished from regular wolves by their displays of supernatura l strength and speed. Awakening Immediately or somewhat past puberty the young werewolf will go through a second biological transformation where their ability to shapeshift will manifest. The time of awakening is always chaotic for the young were. Mental, emotional and biological changes engulf their world, much like puberty in that they often have little understanding of what is going on, but unlike puberty the process culminates in a single explosive moment when transformation first occurs. Shapeshifting Once a werewolf has awakened there are three forms they may transform to and from. That which is their birth form, either wolf or human; a transitional bipedal, wolf-like form; and the opposite of their birth form, either human or wolf. The assumption of the transitional form holds many religious connotations for much of werewolf society, and the assumption of that form is usually reserved for sacred events, such as; ritual, mating or combat. Many, although not all, werewolves also may assume an additional wolf form, that of an exceptionally large (300-600lbs) dire wolf. (Normal wolves rarely reach 200lbs.) Moon Aspect Werewolf biology for both females and males is greatly influenced by the moon and her phases. Each werewolf is bound to the phase of the moon under which they first transformed. D uring that phase they are especially drawn to assuming the transitional form. Werewolves with insufficient, and some may say unnatural, willpower are irresistibly compelled to assume the transitional form during the height of their moon phase. There are also other, behavioral changes that occur preceding one's moontime. A werewolf approaching their moontime will become increasing irritable, emotional and aggressive, much like a female entering her menses. It is common practice for werewolves to go on religious retreats during their moontimes. As with humans and the zodiac, werewolves assume a psychological affinity with their particular moon phase, called their moon aspect. Family - The Pack Werewolf society is based on the pack. The pack is a family, biological or adoptive, of werewolves who live and function together as a unit. The emotional ties of the pack are very strong and are the central focus of werewolf existence. Much like wolf packs, werewolf packs are led by one strong leader, often male, but sometimes female. Newly adult members must "prove" themselves in order to earn a place within the pack hierarchy. All members of the pack are loved. All members of the pack who have proven themselves as valuable members of the pack are respected. Only one may rule, and that one must prove themself to be the strongest and most capable member of the pack. Packleaders are self-elected and must prove themselves before their rule is fully accepted. In addition to packleader, another mainstay of the werewolf pack is the packmother. Almost always a female, the packmother is the primary caretaker of the pack. The packmother is also the spiritual leader of the pack; providing guidance, perspective and a stable ever-loving presence. Aged packmothers will pass on their responsibilities of every-day pack maintenance to younger women and recede in to the background as Grandmothers, the mystics and oracles of the werewolf race. Society - The Tribe Much of werewolf society is organized into tribal groupings. A tribe will consist of a bunch of packs affiliated by blood or alliance. Tribes do not usually live together, but do gather periodically to reaffirm bonds and discuss and rule on important issues. Each tribe, in one form or another, is nominally ruled over by council of elders made up of the most powerful packleaders and packmothers within the tribe. Powers Shapeshifting: '''The cursed human can transform himself or herself into a werewolf on a full moon. During a full moon, however, they change involuntarily, lose their cognitive abilities, and looks more like a wolf than a human. '''Superhuman Strength: The Werewolf possesses superhuman strength. Their more wolf-like form, during a full moon, is somewhat more powerful and they are capable of lifting at 1 ton. Their strength also extends into the muscles of their legs, allowing them to leap, from a croucth, roughly 18 feet into the air. Superhuman Speed: '''Werewolves can run and move faster than any non-supernatural creature and run at an extremely high speed, which causes them to become almost invisible to the naked eye to perceive their movements when they are sprinting or moving at full speed. '''Superhuman Stamina: The Werewolf's musculature produces less fatigue toxins during physica l activity than the musculature of an ordinary human, granting him superhuman levels of stamina. He can exert himself at peak capacity for several hours before fatigue begins to impair him. Superhuman Agility: The Werewolf's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of even the finest human athlete. Superhuman Reflexes: The Werewolf's reflexes are similarly enhanced and are roughly twice as fast as those of the finest human athlete. Superhuman Durability: '''A werewolf's body is physically tougher and more resistant to injury than the body of a normal human. The werewolf cannot be harmed by conventional weapons, as ordinary firearms and blades seem to do little more than annoy the beast. Only a silver bullet or blade can kill a werewolf. '''Superhumanly Acute Senses: The werewolf has superhumanly the acute senses of sight, smell, and hearing similar to those of an actual wolf. He can see part of the infrared spectrum and thus detect the heat signatures of objects or people in total darkness. He can smell other living creatures within 100 feet (when upwind) and follow a scent over nearly any terrain. He can hear the sound of a heartbeat in a cave at a distance of 30 feet. Claws and Teeth: The Werewolf's claws and teeth are extremely sharp and tough, enabling him to rend through a variety of substances including fabric, wood, cinderblock, and even some metals. Werewolves can also use their claws to crawl along walls at great speed in pursuit of prey. Longevity: Once a werewolf reaches maturity at awakening, their aging slows to a pace slightly slower than human. Also, werewolves remain in their prime physically for much longer than their human counterparts. A 60 or 70 year old werewolf will be in as good, if not better physical condition than a 30 or 40 year old werewolf. Male werewolves live to around age 130, when their health and prowess declines rapidly preceding death. Female werewolves experience the same decline in physical prowess at 130, but often remain in fair health for another 20 to 50 years. Healing Factor: The Werewolf is capable of regenerating damaged or destroyed areas of his body with much greater speed and efficiency than an ordinary human. Injuries that result in massive tissue damage such as bullet wounds, slashes, punctures, blunt force trauma, and severe burns heal completely, without so much as a scar, in a short amount of time. His ability to heal is at least 10 times that of a human. 'Weakness' Silver: Many modern werewolves are also supposedly immune to da mage caused by ordinary weapons, being vulnerable only to silver objects (usually a bullet or blade). This negative reaction to silver is sometimes so strong that the mere touch of the metal on a werewolf's skin will cause burns. Wolfsbane: 'Wolfsbane (a highly toxic member of the genus ''aconitum, also known as aconite or monkshood) was thought to have anti-evil properties against Werewolves, and shapeshifters for centuries, and is used in the same manner as garlic. A concoction derived from the roots of the plant was often used to wash bite wounds from wild or venomous animals, and so perhaps this is where Wolfsbane derived its supposed ability to cure people of lycanthropy or other supernatural afflictions. '''Lunar Cycle: A common belief throughout all folklore and myth is that all werewolves are forced to shift during the cycle of the full moon, to some this is a gift, others a curse. 'Known Werewolves' '' Tyler-Lockwood-2x07-Masquerade-tyler-lockwood-16740373-1276-717.jpg|Tyler Lockwood DaddyIssues002.png|Tyler confronts Caroline about Mason's Death. Michael-trevino-vampire-diaries-12102010-02-430x239.jpg Vampire-diaries-tyler-transformation.jpg Tyler.png|Tyler's First Transformation TylersEye.jpg|Tyler's eye when examined by Ambulance technician. Masoneyes.jpg|Mason Lockwood Wolfeyes.jpg|Alcide Herveaux Wolfeyes 2.jpg|Debbir Pelt -85596.png|Marcus Bozeman Cursed.jpg|Ellie Myers Ginger-snaps.jpg|Ginger Fitzgerald GS20.jpg ''Andy Marrell Brian Nashbrook Tyler Lockwood Mason Lockwood Ellie Myers Alcide Herveaux Debbie Pelt Marcus Bozeman Ginger Fitzgerald Category:Supernatural Category:Shapeshifters Category:Creatures